Greetings from Lithuania on the first day of school! Like most teachers, I have a pleasant little buzzing of butterflies in my stomach, knowing that the tone I set and impressions I make this first day can have consquences for good or ill the rest of the semester. Fortunately, today I only have one class, that of my First Year Seminar students, who I have been meeting with regularly during orientation. I am curious to see how the transition from buddy to teacher will take place since I've been laughing and talking with them as friends the past couple days. Now, all of a sudden, I'm in charge of giving out grades! It is a strange dichotomy, but one that most teachers have to find a way to navigate, and I pray for guidance on how to be a loving AND effective teacher.
Meeting and spending time with students has taken up the bulk of my time and energy this week ,but I also seem to be floating on some sort of supernatural energy (all your prayers, no doubt) and even though I'm not getting much sleep and am out late nights, I'm hardly tired. Goodness knows this cannot last forever, but I am grateful for that in these first important days, "the joy of the Lord is my strength."
P.S. Check out Anna's travel journal site for some great pictures of Community Day "Muge" and opening ceremonies.
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7 years ago
2 comments:
Jen...I wanted to share two of my favorite "teaching verses"... the first on is about that balance of friendship vs. grading ethics...
Psalm 89:14... Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.
It's like a God parade in your classroom, with these dancers out in front with flags and batons and sparklers that show the love and faithfulness of Christ through the relationships you build with your students. But there is also justice, and righteousness in your classroom, and you must establish fair, high expectations for student work, and those standards are the "foundations" of the throne, or the trailer where the people sit on haybales and folding chairs. I hope you have seen a parade, so that this makes sense!
The other verse is from Hosea 11...I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
This verse speaks to me about the responsibility, challenge, and delightful opportunity to bless and minister to students. We can do so much to relieve their burdens and give them earthly hope through education, and eternal hope through Christ.
Blessings on your first day butterflies! Sarah Detrich
Sarah -
Those are wonderful "teaching" verses. One of my favorites is Colossians 2:2-3:
"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mysetery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
Thanks for your encouragement!
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